Survey: Battlemage in Thedas
by Danen5
Summary: Eric's life got turned upside down when he was put in prison for a crime he didn't commit at 17 for five years. Unemployed, no college degree, no high school diploma and with a hardened view on life, Eric is unwittingly dragged into one of his favorite games after he answers a survey on the internet. Follow him on his adventure as he navigates the turbulent periods of Dragon Age.
1. Link Start! (Joke much) Prologue

**AN:** **Sorry for this guys, just some minor updates to this part.**

 **Hello dear readers, this is my first foray into the fan fic that is/are Dragon Age and Elder Scroll: Skyrim. After reading quite a few of these xovers I began forming an idea that I hope you'll find satisfactory or good enough. Without further ado I give you...**

 ***drum roll***

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age or Elder Scrolls: Skyrim and their contents. I do own OCs and AU events.**

* * *

 **Prologue**

 **Somewhere...**

 _A young man, in his mid twenties, tall, light brown skin, short black hair, not overly muscular maybe somewhere in the middle_ _but well toned, moderately handsome (in his opinion), wearing long khaki pants, a pair of old combat boots and a black tanktop, is found standing in front of a large book shelf._

 _He is in the library of his small suburban town of Grayton, California. This little hamlet is also the home of several prospective writers, hence the library. His eyes scanning the shelf for a book until he found one that looked mildly interesting. The title read: Twilight Saga._

 _In an instant the book was shoved back from whence it came as the young man shuddered and looked around to see if anyone saw his little blunder. Sighing with relief he continued perusing the shelf but found nothing of note causing him to shake his head in defeat and making his way out of the library._

 _He noticed the young librarian, likely a part timer, ogling him like a hawk. Her eyes following his every move which caused his muscles to ripple. He ignored this and went about his way, opening the front doors and stepping onto the sidewalk. The small town was a modest one with a population of no more than three thousand._

 _Palm trees and cacti were everywhere as well as an assortment of shrubs and small bushes. Identical houses adorned each block but that's further away from the town center. The young man walked down the sidewalk for about five minutes before reaching a road junction, he crossed to the other side and quickly found the small parking lot._

 _His father's old four door four wheel drive, pick up truck, sat waiting for him like a loyal steed. He got in and keyed the ignition, the vehicle coughed twice the came to life. Backing out of park and driving out onto the main road the man drove silently back to his house on the far side of town._

 _The house he drove up to was a modest two storey building with a garage for three cars. He parked expertly, a record since he'd passed his driving test just the day before, after having failed for sixteen times. The sixteenth time was for something aside from his god awful driving skills. He had a smug look of pride on_ _his face, getting out he walked through the side door from the garage to the house and found the kitchen._

 _He saw his aging mother, going past sixty now, behind the kitchen counter chopping onions and other vegetables on the board with a wicked looking knife. Deep down he was ashamed that he was living in his parents house. She looked up and smiled warmly at her son._

 _"Hiya, Eric!" his mother greeted him loudly, her voice was a welcome distraction from his wandering thoughts._

 _"Hi, mom." he returned the greeting, but it seemed somewhat forced. "What's for dinner?"_

 _"Oh...its a surprise." her eyes twinkled under the kitchen lights as she grinned._

 _"Well I'll be in my room if you need me." he told her and she nodded. It was an unspoken rule of the house, that family members keep to themselves when not actively participating in any chores. Being of Germanic descent the Krugers were all about efficiency and when one needs help one need only ask and help, in whatever form it takes, will be given._

 _Eric walked in his room, the same room that hadn't changed since he was a kid, and flopped down on his bed. He was tired but not in the sense of physical exertion but rather a mental one. He groaned inwardly and punched his pillow several times before he stopped and grumbled._

 _Damned idiots, he thought. His mind raced with memories of his part time job at 17. He had only exposed the manager's blatant embezzlement of the mall's profits. How the hell was he to know that the man he reported the manager to was also the head of the same embezzlement ring. Next thing Eric knew he was framed for the embezzlement and subsequently arrested._

 _Five years in the_ _slammer, juvenile prison but prison nonetheless, and then onto a minimum security prison and he had missed five years of his life. Five years that could have gone into a college degree. Eric was pissed, having survived being shanked in his cell three times, four times in the courtyard, two times in the shower and one time in a prison riot. That had changed his outlook on life pretty drastically, he almost got his stay in jail extended when he brutally beat an inmate half to death._

 _It was later found he did so in self-defense but he was put into solitary confinement. His parents supported him throughout his trial, even his brother and sister but now it didn't matter_

 _He can't get a job because of him being a convict, and even if he did he wouldn't like it. He can't resume his academic studies because his parents had spent his entire college fund combatting his trial._ _And he definitely can't be a lawyer now that he has a record so basically his dream career is piped._

 _"Great..." he sighed heavily. Not knowing what else to do he sat at his desk and turned on his PC. Perhaps a round of Call of Duty Online is what he needs. After several rounds, he switched to Battlefield 3 online, Star Trek Online then finally he gave up on video games and decided to surf the web._

 _He'd only opened the search engine, when an ad for an online survey about some self discovery shit popped up. It asked: **Are you out of choices?**_

 _Eric found it weird and a bit disturbing that this ad showed up when he was being indecisive. It had come to a point in his life where the internet was going to give him advices now? He laughed lightly at this thought but clicked on the ad anyway._

 _A survey sight with multiple choice questions on it showed on his screen. He read the first question and shook his head. It read:_

 ** _If given the choice would you accept_** ** _any form of empowerment?_**

 _He chose **yes**_

 ** _From which of the following would you choose your powers from?_**

 _He thought it was weird that all of his favorite games (the ones that gave players powers) were listed but decided to play along. He read the list then chose **Elder Scrolls: Skyrim**_

 ** _Choose your preferred school of magic. You may choose three._**

 _Eric paused here as he took in the next list of multiple choices. A lot of the choices were basically the many variety of spells one finds in Skyrim, but they were divided into their respective schools. Shrugging he clicked on **School of destruction, restoration, and conjuration.**_

 ** _What skill sets do you prefer? (Choose five)_**

 _'Okay, not to look a gift horse in the mouth or anything but...' he sighed and looked at the list. It was basically the constellations that are associated with the various skills that affect Skyrim characters' base attributes. He found what skills he wanted and clicked on them, **One-handed, Smithing, Block, Alchemy and**_ ** _Heavy-Armor._**

 _Thinking about it, Eric realized that he'd basically just copied his Skyrim character's preferred stats, a mix between a heavy tanker and a powerful destruction mage with back up healing in case he runs out potions and conjuration just to be safe. He found it eerily creepy yet satisfying. 'Maybe this survey is helpful...ish. Then came the next question, it seemed his fantasies might come true._

(Oh how right he was...*evil chuckle*)

 ** _If you were to be transported to another universe or alternate reality, which of the following would you choose to visit?_**

 _He chuckled as he scrolled down the list. It ranged from Harry Potter universe to Call of Duty and others. Even Halo! He found a game he hadn't played in a long time. His mind made up he clicked on_ ** _Dragon Age._**

 ** _Have you read and do you accept the terms of this agreement, and of the choices you have made?_**

 _He was more than confused by this but it didn't matter. He had only decided to indulge his curiosity about this strange survey so he didn't actually read the terms. There was a link to the terms as indicated by the underlined word in the question. However, Eric ignored it out of boredom and strained the left mouse button by clicking **yes.**_

 _No sooner had he clicked said button when he was engulfed in a bright light and then his vision turned black having fallen unconscious. He drifted into a dreamless sleep as his mind wondered, what the fuck just happened?!_

* * *

 **Well folks. There you have it. The Intro of the story. This will cover all three Dragon Age games but will focus mainly on Eric Kruger as he explores Thedas and develops his newfound powers. There will be a lot of OCs but you'll find that the DA main characters or support characters will interact with Eric as he travels the world.** **I'll try to make his appearance in the DA universe affect aspects of the games that otherwise ended unfavorably for all of us (mostly me) as I'll be changing a few things. I don't know if I'll put in DLCs but we'll see. Further development of Eric will be discussed in story.** **So yeah, review, comment and or just say hi. I don't know if there is a similar concept like this out there but if there is then PM me about it so we can work something out that our ideas don't crash.** **Thanks and good luck everybody.**


	2. Chapter 1

**AN: Here is Chapter 1 of Survey. Enjoy, fo** **r disclaimer read prologue.**

" _Speech_ " Eric speaking German or English.

"Speech" Common language of Thedas

" **Speech** " Godly being speaking.

'Thoughts' Eric's thoughts.

' _Thoughts_ ' Everyone's thoughts besides Eric.

* * *

Chapter 1: Holy Shit I'm a Battlemage! I think?

The Brecillian Forest was oddly quiet. Usually the wildlife would be making all kinds of ear screeching noises of mismatched cacophony of bird chirps, wolf growls, bear roars and so on. It was the music of the forest and it had been a long time since they have been heard. With the threat of the werewolves no longer lingering in the forest air, the animal sounds joyously celebrated. This however, did not last for long as there was a thundering clap that parted trees, uprooting them and making a clearing.

The sounds of the animal song went silent. You could hear a pin drop in this unnerving silence as glowing eyes watched from their perches, in trees, holes, bushes and other animal hidey holes. Two small but athletic figures ran through the forest, their green leather armour almost shining, brown and golden hair flowing in the wind as they ran through the forest.

The two were elves, Dalish elves to be precise, last of the Alvanharn. A slimmer figure and a more stocky one showed they were man and woman. The female elf stopped in her tracks. Her companion saw this and stopped too then both saw the new clearing, one that wasn't there the last time they were passing through the forest.

"What do you think happened here?" she asked her friend nervously.

"I don't know but I'm not going to stick around and find out." he told her as he turned around. He noticed she wasn't following him so he turned back, "Silyva, what are you doing?"

"There is something there in the middle of the clearing." Silyva pointed out as she cautiously inched her way closer.

"Silyva," the man hissed. "get back here!"

She ignored him and found herself standing over the prone body of a shemlen. She gasped, "Feron! Its a shemlen! Come quick, I think he's hurt."

Feron just stared at her dumbfounded, was she going to ask him to help her help a worthless Shem? He cleared his throat and spoke harshly, "We can't help him, we still have our own people to worry about."

"You can't be seriously suggesting we leave him here, are you?!" she was shocked at what he was insinuating. "No. The humans are our allies, a human helped us and we must return the favor."

"Except, that was a single human." Feron reminded her, he wasn't about it but the human did help them. "And he was a Grey Warden."

They argued back and forth until Feron relented and helped her drag the human back to their camp. The Dalish camp was packed, the Keeper was busy with greeting of the newly arrived camps of other Dalish clans. She was a young elf who had inherited her position from the passing of the previous Keeper who had been to be the source of the werewolf curse that plagued the Brecillian forest.

When she saw Feron and Silyva arrive with an incapacitated Shem she had nearly panicked. Thankfully they explained the situation but she found it odd that the human was at the center of the unnatural clearing. The young man was taken to a tent where he was treated for minor bruises and mild concussion.

"Will he be alright?" the Keeper enquired of the healer who treated the human.

"Yes, Keeper Lanaya." the healer, an elderly female elf replied.

The Keeper visibly relaxed and smiled. The call to arms in response to the Blight had been answered by the Dalish elves and she was proud. Maybe the humans will start accepting us for who we are after the Blight ends, she thought hopefully.

Her mind then turned back to their strange patient. He was a human, that was certain, he had short black hair, well toned muscular body, light brown skin, like those of Antiva or the Chasind barbarians of the south and he wore strange clothes. For one, his shirt left his bare muscular arms uncovered, he also wore strange khaki trousers, and leather boots of unknown design.

Then there is the fact his clothes were made of an unknown material, she found the fabric to be soft like cotton yet have the texture of silk. She shook her head not wanting to dwell too much on this and went about the growing camp to see if anyone needed anything.

'How th-where the-oww fuck! Damn my head hurts like hell! It seriously hurts like hell!' these were the words that floated in Eric's head as he regained consciousness. It felt like one of his hangovers during his time in jail (the only times inmates were allowed alcohol beverages).

He woke up and found himself lying on a cot. It was damp and wet but dry enough, his vision cleared but his hearing still sucked. He was practically deaf but not blind so that was good. Then he did a double take when the tent flap opened to reveal a buxom elf woman. Emphasis on the _elf_ part, he stared wide eyed at her ears.

The elf for her part blushed bright red upon seeing this handsome young man, for a _shemlen_. She was brought out of her trance when the man spoke.

" _Hello...there..erm...what the..._ " Eric gawked at her but then quickly smiled. He was trying to be friendly but hoped that he was hallucinating so he can get back home. She just stood there frozen, not understanding what he just said. She turned around and disappeared behind the tent flap.

Eric was confused, his facial expression made that obvious but the elf was not there to see it. 'Was it something I said?' he asked himself mentally.

He shrugged but regretted it as he winced in pain. His shoulders were heavily bruised, somehow, but them something clicked in his mind. He simply raised his right hand which glowed yellow then with a sudden burst of energy that flowed inwards, he felt his body beginning to ease up.

The tension in his muscles, joints and bones were relieved. He relaxed and sighed happily. He hadn't felt this good since he and his family spent that weekend at the Spa Resort some four miles west to the coast. Warning bells rang in his head as he realized where he was.

" _Okay. Keep it together, Eric."_ he said in a low voice. He tried to get his bearings so he got out of the tent and what he saw made him pause. He didn't wanna believe it but he was in a huge camp of what looked like elves all staring at him curiously or warily. He hoped he was still hallucinating but when he pinched his left forearm he winced in pain.

'Okay so maybe I'm not dreaming this up. But its gotta be some sort of cosplay event...right?' he wasn't hopeful about that and sure as bells he realized he wasn't in his room anymore let alone his house. From what he remembered, California was desert, palm trees and cacti. The view around him was grass, pine, oak and other types of trees, essentially a forest. And lots of green...lots and lots of green topped off by a makeshift camp of elves, they were a foot or slightly inches shorter than him but, damn, there were lots of them. 'Rule 1: Don't antagonize the elves in their turf...period!' he gulped and stretched the neck of his tanktop nervously.

"Hey!" Eric turned to look where the voice came from. It was an elf woman dressed in a strange dress made of leather and fur on the shoulders, she was perhaps a few years younger than him, but judging from the staff she carried he guessed she was important.

" _I'm sorry but I don't understand you."_ Eric explained to the elf but she just looked at him with a weird face. 'Yep...was expecting that.' he mentally deadpanned.

"Keeper," the well endowed elf from earlier appeared next to the elf with staff and Eric couldn't help but admire her ju-er-um...her beauty? 'Damn it man, stop staring...why the hell is this happening to me? Its never bothered me before...so why now? Wait am I into-'

"Excuse me, shemlen." The elf with staff cleared her throat to grab Eric's attention, well aware he was ogling at Nyli.

Eric felt himself blush and ashamed at having been caught staring. He looked at the elf with some of his dignity still intact and focused on her face. It still seemed surreal that actual elves, hot ones too now that he thought about, exist. Well, not in real life but he guessed that he is having a very convincing and very detailed hallucination.

" _I apologize for staring, miss._ " Eric blurted out nervously rubbing the back of his neck. _"Annnd...I just realized you don't understand what I'm saying._ "

"How did he...Nyli how is it that he's walking around?" Keeper Lanaya asked Nyli who was the one to tend the Shem's bruises. He had looked bedraggled and exhausted, covered in bruises and small scorches. It looked as if was hit by an ogre and the hit by a fireball.

"I don't know, Keeper." Nyli answered honestly, she had no idea how he had miraculously healed so quickly. Both elves stared at Eric intently wondering the same thing, for his part, Eric just pretended not to be a little peeved that they were staring at him like he was a piece of meat.

He stood there awkwardly and winced when he saw the archers with their arrows pointed in his general direction. 'Great.' he thought as he saw a few of them tense up when they saw him eyeing them. Eric averted their glares but then suddenly felt light headed and began seeing a white light behind the two elves in front of him.

It got brighter and brighter as if it was getting closer. His expression must have shown his shocked look because the two women suddenly had worried looks on their faces. The one with the staff edged closer but then the light engulfed him and poof he was gone in a flash.

' _What just happened?'_ both Lanaya and Nyli thought as they watched the shemlen get shrouded in a mysterious white light and just popped out of existence. For a moment there was a tense silence with those who had witnessed the event. Then the silence was broken by Nyli who exclaimed, "Hey! Where'd the hunk go?!"

Someone was heard muttering, "...nymphomaniac."

* * *

 **Meanwhile...**

In a darkened room sat Eric on a wooden chair. His eyes glossed over obviously dazed from his experience. He shook his head and gathered his wit about sensing eyes on him. It wasn't evil or whatever but just creepy, then he noticed someone else sitting in a similar chair beside him. It looked like a guy, from what the man wore, it looked like a black T-shirt with blue jeans and wore black sneakers.

"Psst...hey dude you awake?" Eric whispered to his bound compatriot. The other guy seemed to hear him him but he was just as dazed. "Hey dude wake up."

"Uh...I'm up." the guy looked around then saw Eric and stared at him briefly before realizing he was also bound to the chair. "So this better not be some fucked up BDSM shit or I swear I'm gonna kill somebody."

"Hey dude don't look at me." Eric told with an annoyed expression. 'That was not an image he wanted see...ever.'

"Who the hell are you?" the guy asked, rather rudely if his tonevwas anything to go by.

"Names Eric, dipshit." Eric said as he turned to look around the dark room.

"Nice to meet you, asshole. Names Damian." the guy, Damian if that was his name, returned the intro in pretty much the same way Eric did.

" **And I am Survey.** " a deep bass voice boomed from everywhere and even inside their heads.

Needless to say both guys were startled and frantically twisted their heads around the dark room trying to find where the source of the voice was.

"Who are you?!" both screamed out at whoever was holding them hostage. They didn't like this situation anymore than that BDSM shit.

" **I just told you my name, Survey.** " the voice told them, it sighed as if frustrated.

"What kinda name is that?" Damian asked but it was mostly rhetorical.

" **Doesn't matter. What matters is that I fulfill your need for a...more exciting life. That is what you both desire, isn't it?** "

Eric and Damian remained quiet. Each pondering what the hell was going on. On the one hand they had each wanted to do something that is remotely exciting but didn't know what to expect when it actually seemed to happen for real. On the other hand each of them had faced difficulties in life so they guessed it was what drove them to think more seriously about their current predicament.

" **I am sorry you're tied up but its for your own safety. However, I must now separate you two, it seems our other room is finally available.** " the voice seemed to have just read off of something, it sounded more monotone.

"What...?" suddenly Damian vanished and Eric was left alone...ish.

"Hey where'd you take him?!" Eric demanded to know but there was only silence.

" **What...oh sorry about that. Now what do we have here? Oh yes, Subject 768-43 case 57-32.** " the voice spoke in an official tone as if reading something and then paused.

"What the heck does that mean?!" Eric was irritated by whoever or whatever that voice was and was trying to free his bonds.

" **You answered a survey on 3rd March, 2016, did you not?** " the voice asked in a sincere tone.

"Uh...yes." Eric replied hesitantly. Not sure what that had-"Hey wait a minute! Are you the one responsible for this mess I'm in?"

" **You are correct. It would seem that you were deployed prematurely without the necessary guidelines, regulations and equipment.** " the voice stated, " **That will have to be remedied.** "

Eric was suddenly free and he was now standing. A desk appeared out of thin air and on it was a stack of papers. He got close and read what was on the title page: _Survey Rules and Regulations regarding deployment of Inter dimensional Adventurers._ Is this some kind of joke?" Eric laughed lightly at what he saw but the lack of an immediate reply was unnerving.

" **You answered the survey. Now read through that stack and then sign to acknowledge that you agree to keep this meeting under wraps.** " the voice told him and Eric sighed. It was his fault for messing up so he read through the stack and discovered the meaning of paper cuts. He groaned when he reached the part where _'we are not responsible for the death, maiming, injury, infection, imprisonment, torture, enslavement, rape(!), eaten, skewed, and etc that affect the adventurer.'_ He finished and then signed his name as per the agreement.

"Now what?" Eric asked slightly ticked off by the many thin cuts on the tips of his fingers.

" **Now you receive your equipment. Since you chose to go to the DA universe, specifically the Origins setting during the 5th Blight, your skill set means you'll be equipped with a heavy steel chainmail armour, steel helm, steel gauntlets, steel boots and steel kite shield, steel longsword and two steel daggers.** " the voice listed the required equipment unique to his earlier choices. " **You will also start off with a map of Ferelden, five health potions, five stamina potions, five magicka, a bedroll, a one man tent and thirty silver coins.** "

"Isn't that a bit too much?" Eric asked, he wanted to experience the hardship of medieval life in DA and not be too OP about it. Then again it would help if he got cornered.

" **This is not a game. You need all the help you can get. One small misstep and you die.** " the voice explained, rather grimly. " **As you may have noticed, you'll also have access to your chosen schools of magic but will start off at novice level. Word of caution, avoid using your magic in the presence of templars...on need to explain there. Also note that due to the fact that magicka potions are non existent in DA, you will have to rely on natural regeneration, you may utilize lyrium potions but I highly recommend you keep the dossage to a minimum of five medium potions per three days. One final thing, once I send you back you're never going to go back to your old life again.** "

"Wait wha-" Eric was alarmed at that last statement but was cut off when he suddenly found himself on a cliff overlooking a big body of serene and calm reflective water. a castle is located some distance to the east of his position situated on a small elevated island that connects to the mainland via a large stone bridge. Below that was a small town with docks and a few boats and there seemed to be avriver flowing from a large waterfall. Eric took in his surrounding then said, "Well shit!" he let out a string of curses as he looked up at the sky and screamed bloody murder to whoever it was that handled his...dossier?

* * *

 **Okay that's that. As you can see it is explained how he here how got in the DA universe, though what or who Survey is remains vague. Tell me if his equipment and items seems a tad too much oh and don't forget to review, those are appreciated.** **Till next time.**


	3. Chapter 2

**AN: Well folks here's another chapter. For disclaimer read prologue.**

* * *

 **Undisclosed** **location**

Merissa kept twiddling her thumbs as she impatiently waited for her older brother to return, its been over five hours and she was getting worried. He had left her behind at camp along with Wynne and Oghren and his Mabari, Thomas. She always thought it was a funny name to give to a mabari warhound, but apparently the damned mutt liked his name.

' _Brother please be_ _careful'_ she silently prayed to the Maker and Andraste. Not that she was a devout religious fanatic unlike some people, _'yeah that's right...I'm talking about you Templars!'_

They never cease to disgust her with their arrogance, their zealotry and their genocidal tendencies! If it weren't for her brother the Circle of Mages here in Ferelden would have been at the mercy of their damnable ' _Right of Annulment'_ she shuddered to think of what might have happened if they hadn't intervened.

There were children in the Circle for Maker's sakes! She didn't doubt their depraved sense of Justice. To kill children outright is not okay in her book and she'd given her two cents to the Knight Commander stationed at the Circle tower. She was about to slap the bastard upside the head when her brother stopped her.

"Merissa, what's on your mind?" she turned around to see Wynne looking at her worryingly. Ohgren was beside his tent near the fire drinking one of his home brewed ale or was it mead? Half the time he'll be drunk...while fighting! She didn't know whether to be terribly worried or to drop on the ground and laugh.

"Oh its nothing, Gran." Wynne smiled upon hearing the young brunette call her that. Merissa was the only one who addressed her as such, not even Leliana would dare call her that.

"Lying young lady is unbecoming of a noblewoman such as yourself." Wynne chided her with a hint of a playful tone.

"I'm just worried that idiot might get hurt or worse." Merissa confessed but only because Wynne can always tell when she lied.

"Well that idiot is stronger and more than capable of taking care of himself." Wynne assured the youngest of the last Couslands. The oldest had gone missing, most likely dead and the second son had become a Grey Warden while Merissa had tagged along with her brother after they escaped from Howe's men. She was also praying the young Warden would be careful of his surrounding.

* * *

 **Somewhere in the Frostback Mountains...**

Aiden Cousland, survivor of Highever, now Grey Warden and one of two last Grey Wardens in Ferelden, suddenly stopped in his tracks as he sneezed rather loudly, almost like a gun going off in an enclosed space if a gun existed in Thedas in the first place. (Oh yeah the Qunari had that gaatlok cannon thingy-so maybe Sten could relate!)

The sound echoed throughout the small ravine slash valley, probably the crater of a long dormant volcano, and it reverberated along the high rocky walls. His companions all stared at him, with Sten glaring at him and Morrigan blinking in disbelief.

"You know...that sucks." Alister said dryly as they heard a loud and screeching roar from on top of a cliff some twenty meters high to their right. They scattered across the ruins, hoping the High Dragon didn't see them but no such luck as they were soon spotted.

"Well. Time to nut up or shut up." Aiden stated confidently as he drew his great sword, a two meter long steel of death rivalled by Sten's own great sword. Alistair brought his shield down in front of him and drew his own sword whilst muttering about Aiden being unlucky. Morrigan took hold of her staff and cast a frost spell to coat her companions' swords in ice cold frost to help against the dragon's tough scaly hide. Just for good measure she leaned over next to Aiden and planted a soft kiss on his cheek.

"What was that for?" Aiden was a bit surprised as he rubbed his cheek. Morrigan shrugged and prepared herself for what was to come. The dragon flew down and roared spewing fire from its mouth. The group scattered and began their epic showdown.

* * *

 **Meanwhile, near Redcliffe village...**

Eric was not happy. He was beyond happy, he was thoroughly and utterly pissed off by recent events. 'Fuck you survey!' he angrily yelled in his mindscape as he'd exhausted his vocal cords. Looking down at his ridiculous outfit, okay so maybe not ridiculous, he wore a standard steel chainmail armour, boots, gauntlets and helmet but the latter felt stuffy so he pulled it off. He then took the time to take in his surrounding, he noted that big tall imposing tower in the west menacingly staring at him. Then he saw the huge castle in the east and the village below it.

'Okay, let me recant what has happened.' Eric thought as he tried to remember what caused all of this. He totally remembered sitting on his computer, not on his computer rather he was using said computer, and then this random survey ad showed up and he answered the questions on it. 'Right so if I remember correctly I've been dumped into the Dragon Age universe, if memory serves me right, that asshole said that its the 5th Blight so this has to be during Origins. I wonder how far along its been?'

Eric paused his train of thought as he made up his mind to visit the village of Redcliffe to make sure his own Intel matches up with what he remembered from the game...er...was it real life now? He shrugged lazily and walked away from the cliff and made his way towards the path. It was a frequently used path by hunters and such so he wasn't too concerned and if anyone saw him they would think he was either a mercenary or adventurer, not too far from the truth in the latter, sice that's basically what Survey told him. Halfway down the path he came to a small patch of forest that blocked his view of the castle.

Its been only about fifteen but he reckon it would at least be another hour before he reached the village, he seriously hoped the village has already been saved from those undead corpses otherwise he would risk having to expose himself to those bloody templars. 'Don't want that to happen yet.'

As he entered the tree lines he suddenly stiffened when he heard howls. Now its one thing to face on a pack wolves, hungry rabid looking wolves, from the comfort and safety of your room, chair and a 16in flat LED screen, but to face a wolf in person? Eric was conflicted, one part of him wanted to turn tail and to put it into perspective, "...run like the wind bullseye!" while another part of him wanted to stay firmly put and test out his new powers.

"Shit, shit, shit..." Eric kept muttering as he stood frozen in place at the forest entrance. Yellow glowing eyes stared menacingly and hungrily at him. His heart raced and thumped so fast he knew if Usain Bolt challenged it to a race it'd win, gritting his teeth to calm himself he saw the wolves edging closer. He saw them eyeig him like he was their next meal and frankly he was right but this meal was not going down without a fight!

"Come on! Come and get it while its hot!" He roared maniacally at the wolves as his hands burst into flames. Two wolves lunged at him but were met with a gust of flaming wind that engulfed both of them and cooked them to a smoky crisp.

The rest of the pack all burst forth from their hiding spots, all seven of them and rapidly closed the distance between them and Eric who sent fire spewing from his hands at two wolves cooking them up just as easily as the first two and then rolled over to the right. A wolf managed to latch on his right ankle and he yelped in pain, luckily the armoured boot protected his ankle muscles from snapping. He angrily punched the wolf on the head with his burning fists and sent it crumbling to the ground.

"That all you got, you fucking-" he was cut off when two wolves pounced on his back. One dug its teeth into his right shoulder, the chainmail mitigated the damaged but the wolf's canines pierced with painful efficiency. The other wolf grabbed hold of Eric's exposed thigh just above the armoured boot. Eric had never felt this much pain before but he could easily chalk it up to the same excruciating pain he felt when he was shanked by several shivs in prison.

Anger born of the will to not die as some footnote in the history books, especially considering the fact that he would end up as some animal's meal, caused him to literally burn up. The two wolves whose teeth had sunk into his flesh spontaneously combusted as Eric was enveloped in flames. The swirling fire threatened to burn down the forest as Eric fell to his knees, the remaining wolves growled as their prey had killed their brethren reducing their pack.

Eric wearily got on his feet but winced and cried out in pain as he did so. He groaned and struggled to stand upright, the muscles in his body ached from the wounds he'd sustained. The fire gave out and his flame cloak dropped having sapped his magicka down to almost nothing. He eyed the last wolves warily as they circled around him gauging his threat level to themselves, Eric then remembered something, something that had been bugging him from the start of his fight with some of mother nature's hunters. His sword and shield!

"For fucks sakes!" He berated his own stupidity as he reached over his uninjured shoulder and pulled his shield. With his shield now firmly gripped and defending his front he tried equipping his sword but every time he moved his right arm the pain shot through his already weakened body and he would freeze. 'Can't have that...' He thought. Luckily the wolves were too wary of him, keeping their distance, which gave time enough for his magicka to power his flame spell and his right hand burst into flames once more.

The wolves saw this and lunged at the same time but the one in front was closer and it reached him first, Eric sidestepped and bashed his shield against the wolf's head whereupon he heard a sickening crunch as the Wolf's neck snapped. The other wolf knocked him off his feet and he stumbled onto the ground on his back yelling out in pain, his wounds still giving him a hard time. He saw the wolf rush him aiming for his throat and he brought his shield up in time causing the wolf to snap its teeth shut on the brim of his shield. Taking advantage of this Eric painfully brought his right arm up and let loose a torrent of flames that burned the wolf down to the bone.

Gasping for breath and having survived his first encounter with the obviously dangerous wildlife of Ferelden, Eric lay on the ground with pain washing over him from his wounded thigh, ankle and right shoulder. His vision becoming blurry and his breathing labored. He felt so weak he doubted he could lift his shield if another wolf came along. His magicka began regenerating and his left hand glowed yellow or gold, the light spread over his body seeking out his wounds and began their work. His close wound spell was taking effect but he wondered why he had access to a high tier healing spell then remembered Clause 23 of the Agreement he signed, which stated that if he was mortally wounded then he would be given access to high tier healing spells for a thirty minute duration and could only be done so every two days. So he had to economize on using that perk it seemed.

He laughed at his foolish naivety and idiocy at having answered that stupid survey and then thinking he could take on what...seven or nine wolves head on. For gods sakes he wasn't a warrior! Sure he had moderate training during his compulsory two year military tenure during high school but this was a whole different set of mad circumstances. He was still pondering his predicament when he didn't notice that he'd pass out. Darkness embraced his dreams and he slumbered in that forest just as the sun came down.

The strangest part of his dream was of a stunning brunette in a long flowing dress, embroidered in what looked like gold and lavender floral designs with green hems at the end of her sleeves. She was standing in a large well lit room decorated with what looked like children's ornamental wood and silver designs on the hard stone wall. Large tapestries depicting a warrior enveloped in flames wearing plate armour stood at the head...no the tapestry made it look like he was facing a horde of grotesque looking beasts.

In the room the young woman smiled at him, at least Eric thought she did, and then she glanced down at two cradles with two babies in them sound asleep. They so cute and peaceful he thought might try and take a closer look but then he felt a hand tug on his arm and he turned to face the woman. Her beauty took his breath away and that's saying something, for a guy who was adamant he would end his bloodline with him and not love another woman again. Ah! The heart of a scorned lover...such rejection can do harm to a man's ego...er...feelings.

She said something to him but he couldn't hear it and then darkness once more claimed him. A shrouded figure appeared and glared at him with white burning eyes, " **DO NOT DEVIATE FROM YOUR ASSIGNED PATH!"**

And just like that Eric woke up with a start screaming, "Fuck you Survey!"

* * *

 **Sometime later...**

Aiden and his companions had returned to their hidden camp and Merissa, Wynne and a drunk Oghren greeted them. They were happily recounting their tale of having fighting off and killing a dragon except for Morrigan and Sten who both kept to themselves. Aiden recalled the day he had been made a Grey Warden and shuddered involuntarily, this caught his sister's attention who came up to him and asked, "What's bothering you, brother?"

She sounded worried for some reason, he looked at her and couldn't help but stifle a whimper as she reminded him too much of their mother who by now would be at the Maker's side. Her brown chestnut colored hair, her grey hazel eyes and round pretty face was almost a mirror image of their mother. He silently prayed that he'd get his revengenon Howe for his betrayal.

"Its nothing, sister." He tried to wave her off but she sat next to him and he sighed. "I was thinking about..."

"No you don't have to talk about it." She interrupted, her eyes lighting up with fiery anger knowing what he was thinking of. "Just promise me that when the time comes you make him suffer."

Aiden felt fear sending chills down his spine as he listened to his sister's demand. She did take after their mother after all, beauty, stubbornness, intelligence and fiery anger all rolled into one. He just nodded as he began to feel fire burning in his chest.

"Hello everyone!" Leliana chimed in as she appeared from the shadows, Aiden had told her to scout around and see if she could spot out darkspawn ambushes beforehand. Her Orlesian accent still ticked him off though but that was offset by her beautiful singing voice which she uses to entertain them whenever they were bored. Morrigan and Sten were usually the ones who didn't like her singing, Wynne found it soothing in her old age and Merissa liked how her voice sounds and both of them would squeal in delight about shoes...shoes! Maker!

Oghren...well he was er...he was Oghren. Aiden couldn't tell what the drunken dwarf thought of Leliana's singing. He just drank and listened, drank and listened and at the end of it he'd pass out. Alistair was a whole other matter, the man could appreciate her singing but kept mostly to himself when Leliana sang. Aiden chalked it up to him being still miffed about that whole King's bastard son thing.

"Any darkspawn ambushes waiting for us on the road, Leliana?" Aiden asked their Orlesian bard slash assassin. She brightened up and nodded.

"Oh yes, there are two ambushes waiting at the furthest intersection, while the highway has been blocked by boulders leaving this the only way around it." Leliana told him as she pulled out a map of Ferelden and pointed to the ambush points. "The darkspawn are clever-"

Thomas barked in objection at her mentioning the darkspawn were clever. Mabari hounds are intelligent creatures bred for war and other duties but all have a basic or complex understanding of their humans speech which led to said humans to ponder curiously if the mabari could talk. Eh, never mind.

"Very well, the darkspawn are dumb clumsy creatures. Happy?" Leliana laughed as did Aiden when Thomas barked and wagged his tail happily.

The camp was suddenly more homey now that Aiden's companions have all gathered and food was quickly cooked and served. Alistair was the chef for the day. Everyone blanched when they took a bite of the man's version of Ferelden stew. Mutton chops with vegetables and lots of turnip. They talked well into the night until sleep and exhaustion bade them sleep. Merissa on the other hand suddenly felt a strange warmth in her chest as she entered the fade and dreamt of a warrior in steel plated armour with sword sheathed and his shield on his back, his hands engulfed in flames as he stood defiant against a horde of darkspawn. She gasped when he let loose a fire storm than burned through the foul creatures' ranks and then he charged headlong into their numbers with his sword in hand shield in the other.

The last thing she saw was him exuming fire and then lightning from his whole body frying any darkspawn near him. She then saw herself, nay, she was herself. Her eyes couldn't believe it but she was in a room that was so familiar she knew it couldn't be real. Then she saw the two cradles beside her and she gasped, her heart fluttered and the warm feeling in her chest returned tenfold. What she was seeing should be impossible yet she welcomed it. The two babies in the cradle slept soundly as she gazed lovingly at them with a motherly expression, she noticed her rather formal looking regal dress and thought that she could enjoy this while it lasted.

Then she heard a shuffling noise and glanced at the door where a tall imposing figure of a man in steel plate armour stood with his hands at his side and his face hidden behind his helm. Instead of panicking and attempting to find a weapon to defend the babies, she was filled with a surge of warm recognition and she blushed for some reason. Her cheeks were several shades of pink and red than normal. He walked over to the cradles and pause as he no doubt was admiring the babies, she reached out to him and took hold of his armoured arm and turned him around to face her.

"Who are you?" Merissa asked the armoured man but it seemed as if he didn't hear her. Then she asked again but this time her view shifted and she found herself drifting in the darkness or void but the man's armour caught her eye and she turned to see him only he wasn't alone. There was a strange dark figure shrouded in dark robes and almost invisible except for his burning white eyes.

The dark figure approached the plate armoured man and shouted at him angrily in a deep bass voice, " **DO NOT DEVIATE FROM YOUR ASSIGNED PATH!"**

The man in armour suddenly disappeared then she felt ice cold fear chilling her spine as the figure in all black turned his gaze to her and his white eyes almost blinding her. He growled at her and in a low voice he threatened, " **Your Maker and his bride may protect you, girl. But know that I will not tolerate you messing with my plans for this idiot. If you ever find it in your heart to love that man...know then that I will take everything you hold dear and make you watch as they suffer starting with your children."**

Merissa woke up screaming causing Wynne and Leliana to wake up startled by her. They comforted the young woman as she recanted her dream to them. Wynne told her to not worry as it was just a dream but the benevolent demon within her told her otherwise. It had felt a presence with the Fade that was so malevolent that other Fade demons quickly hid themselves for fear of it. Wynne knew that mages were usually the ones with the most vivid dreams and she doubted Merissa was a mage. However, she couldn't shake the feeling that the armoured man in Merissa's dreams held some significance if she could describe him so vividly and then there were telltale signs of a future with said man. Whoever he was he would play a major role in the young woman's life. For better or worse.

Leliana on the other hand was squealing with delight and was chattering away with Merissa about her supposedly dream of her future, if it was indeed going to be interpreted that way. She doubted it but Leliana wouldn't let it slide as she pestered her with very suggestive details. And asked if Merissa knew where babies came from! Of course she knew where babies come from but she didn't want to talk of such things.

The night gave way to dawn and the camp was uprooted and its occupants woke from their slumber. A new journey was ahead of them, return to Redcliffe Castle to cure the Arl of his mysterious disease.

* * *

 **Well there's that folks. I hope you enjoy this one, I had a hard time describing details and may have spelling mistakes and whatnot. There will be more action later on and I am planning on having him tangle with the Knight Commander (I'm getting confused with these morons titles) near that windmill in Redcliffe. Give me your thoughts on that and as always reviews are much appreciated.**

 **What do you think of my little twist there...there are three Cousland children, with Fergus the elder of the three dying, leaving the second eldest, Aiden Cousland who is the Grey Warden and his surviving sister (the OC I'm pairing with our unwitting adventurer).**

 **Some other changes will also be present but I'll explore those later on.**

 **May the Nine divines guide your path. (Yeah right!)**


	4. Chapter 3

**AN: I'd like to thank you readers and those who fav or followed this story. Your gestures are sincerely appreciated, 400 views! Not bad considering I'm still new to this website. Some spelling checks and grammar corrections in last chapter. Here's the third one...enjoy. For disclaimer see Prologue.**

* * *

 **Redcliffe Village, outskirts.**

Eric wasn't too sure about entering the small town or was it village? It looked llike a small town. Eh, it doesn't matter. He had come across the highway, built by the Tevinter most likely with its marble and stone designs reminiscent of Imperium architecture if his memory of Ostagar is correct. From there he turned left to a well used path and descended down a crude stepway of sorts. It wasn't much to look at but then again Ferelden isn't like the Tevinter or the Orlesians. For about an hour he came to a post with the name of the village on it and to the right was a small cottage. A man, middle aged from the looks of him, wearing simple peasant clothes sat on a chair near his door.

"Greetings traveller." The man spoke in a jovial manner. He certainly looked happy about something. "Tell me from where do you come?"

"Nowhere." Eric repliedcryptically, his voice muffled under his helmet. He made his way to the bridge intending to cross it but was stopped by the man calling to him.

"Wait traveller!" Eric turned around and nearly punched the man when he saw that he was so close. Invasion of his personal space usually ends with some idiot losing a tooth or three. "What will you do?"

"What?" Eric asked in a confused tone. His expression would have also shown his obvious bewilderment but he recovered quickly composing himself. "What do you mean old man? What are you talking about?" Eric took a few steps away from the man suddenly getting an unusually and eerily familiar feeling.

"Beyond this bridge when you turn right you will come across a mill overlooking the village below." The man spoke in a manner of fact tone, his expression serious. "There is a templar stationed there and he and his lackeys are currently hunting a mage who has taken refuge in Redcliffe. My question to you is; what will you do? Will you let them take the poor soul away or will you stand up for them?"

Eric was stunned but his mental alarms were going crazy and he swore he could see a transparent holographic image in his vision saying, "WARNING, WARNING, WARNING!". He shook his head and stared back at the man but instead the bloody shit was gone. " What fuck?!"

The it hit him why that sinking feeling of depression and melancholy he had felt earlier felt eerily familiar. Only one person...or thing can exhume that much aura of pure darkness. He looked up into the sky and at the top of his lungs screamed in frustration, "Fuck you Survey! Can't you just leave me alone?!" Getting no response, Eric huffed and stomped off across the bridge muttering all sorts of cuss words in his vocabulary arsenal.

The waterfall rushing down from the face of cliff flowing underneath the bridge and onwards to the open body of water that connects with the village, was serene and beautiful. It helped calm his nerves and his growing frustration at Survey's interference in HIS adventure. 'If the guy wants to interrupt me at every turn then maybe he should be the one in my position!' His mind angrily groaned but as he turned around to the path that led down to the village, he saw the windmill.

"Great...now I need to keep a low profile. That Templar...Harrith was it? Yeah, I think that's his name," he paused a moment as he walked closer and the windmill loomed over him. It was just like it was in the game, the windmill looked a little more battered but still sturdy and then there was that huge tree next to it. He couldn't identify what type of tree it was...he only knew the Mabari companion pissed on it so, yeah, he's going to avoid that.

He was about to take the trip further down when he saw templar knights dragging a little bedraggled and struggling little girl no more that six or seven. She was wailing and crying, screaming her lungs out. At first he kept his cool and kept walking towards the tavern. It was at the opposite side facing the windmill situated on an elevated plateau overlooking the Chantry. He crossed a second bridge but then he noticed the crowd coming out of the tavern to see the commotion. From the village proper there was a woman being held back by another two templars and the Knight Commander Harrith was yelling at them.

The little girl had somehow broken free but was quickly caught again. Eric saw this as he stood watching the small village square where the little girl was bawling tears flowing freely down her flushed red cheeks. "Momma! Momma! Momma!" The little girl cried out her hands trying to reach her mother's arms as the woman had forcibly pushed her way past the two templars who held her.

"TANYA!" The woman cried her child's name and something clicked in the back of Eric's mind. Memories long suppressed from his childhood came flushing back in a flash of pain and blinding light. He was a child, no more than four, being dragged away from his mother...his real mother. He knew he was adopted, his real mother had been a member of a rebel group in Tropico, his home country, he and his sister who got adopted with him, knew who they really were. Marco and Tanya Antanov (as his sister told him being older by six years). Hearing that name, a name similar to his sister's, was like a wake up. He was awoken from long dreary sleep where one slumbers too long they start to forget who they are.

The circumstances behind their adoption was now clear in his mind, he put two and two together and pretty much guessed that (logically) his mother being a rebel, government forces had raided their home and took him and his sister away. So seeing the situation before him unfold was like a rude awakening reminding him of his battered past before being adopted by the Krugers. Then the unthinkable happened.

Knight Commander Harrith had unsheathed his sword and with a swift side step in the woman's path he had impaled her on his blade due to her momentum. The onlookers gasped and some even screamed obscenities at the man. The child seeing her mother get killed in front of her began crying even louder. Eric needed to act fast, if what he remembered of the quest line in Redcliffe then the same situation as the kid in that big castle will happen here and the girl will likely turn into an abomination.

Both templars holding the girl both strengthened their hold knowing what to expect and the one on the right prepared to knock her unconscious. However, a woman shrikes in a high piercing scream borne of fear when both templars suddenly found themselves headless. Harrith and his remaining templars stood stock still at the sight before them. A man standing somewhat a few inches taller than them was burning, literally burning as in engulfed flames and he was still standing and with a sword in his right hand pointing at Harrith.

"You die here Templar!" The man, nay, mage roared and charged at the three templars sword easily cleaving through one of the Templar's blade as he blocked the blow. Harrith watched as another of his fellows had his head cut off by the mage's sword. ' _What is this?! Mages don't wear armour and fight with swords_!' His mind yelled at this irregularity. Here was a mage...or maybe it was one of those Arcane Warriors he read about but they should be dead!

The last templar knight reacted much quicker and instead of blocking with his sword he instead dodged out of the mage's swing and with brutal efficiency slashed at the mage's thigh where there was little protection. The mage dropped to his knees but as the templar came in close for the kill the flaming aura around the mage leapt out and attached itself to the knight burning him to a crispy corpse. He screamed and writhed in agony trying to put out the fire by rolling on the ground but it was no good, he died soon after that in a slow and painful way.

Eric was still on his feet. His strength had not fully returned to him yet but his anger couldn't be held back any more. He looked up at the Knight commander, the man's angular features and almost yellow skin reminded him of the Altmer in Skyrim, even if he wasn't in Skyrim, playing the game he did not like the Altmer, especially the Thalmor. This guy reminded him of them so much he could actually picture the piece of shit with pointy ears...at least the Summer and Bosmer were tolerable and the elves in this game or universe are pleasing to the eye.

Harrith eyed the now wounded mage, his sword embedded in the ground as the childsat on her legs behind the man, her eyes wide in both shock and awe. She had temporarily forgotten her mother's plight. Harrith weighed his options and decided it was safe to attack the mage, after all his flames were out so that means his man's is depleted. He cautiously approached the kneeling mage and brought his sword high in an arc. He was going to decapitate this bastard as he did to good men.

Without warning Eric spun around in a leg swipe catching Harrith off guard and the armoured man dropped heavily crashing onto the ground. His eyes dimmed and his breath shortened to a few gasps for air. Eric stood up and with his right hand raised high above the man's face he brought it down with enough force that completely knocked the man out. He struggled to his feet and looked around at the now deserted square. Most of the villagers had sought refuge in the chantry while rest locked themselves in their homes, the village militia had arrived but kept their distance. There was a man Eric saw with an impressive moustache and so he guessed he was the mayor if his game info was correct.

The woman was lying where shed been dropped unceremoniously on theground, a pool of her blood had formed but to Eric's surprise she was still alive but barely, her breaths were short and sharp. Her eyes fixed on her daughter who cries streams as she bent over her mother. Then the woman's gaze turned to him. His eyes met a fiery blue, shimmering and almost begging h to do something. But even with his healing spell and health potions, he could bring her back from the dead.

" **Ah! That is where you are wrong**." The annoying booming voice of Survey spoke in his head.

"Survey? Get out of-wait what? Want do you mean?" Eric seemed to be conversing with himself as that was what it looked like to people who could not hear the entity. Those who saw this confirmed that he may or is infected by a demon. Murdoch was not entirely sure about that but he wasn't going to take any chances. He kept his men back if only to see what the mage would do next.

" **No time to explain. Just use your close wound spell on the woman. She is quickly fading**." Survey said to the adventurer with some urgency in his voice but Eric just stared at the woman and then.

"I thought the agreement said that I can't-" Survey suddenly broke into a burst of angry shouts as he ordered.

" **FUCK THE AGREEMENT I AM CALLING IT NULL AND VOID WITH REGARDS TO YOUR MAGIC. FROM HERE ON OUT YOU WILL HAVE ALL OF THE PERKS AND ACCESS TO ALL TIERED MAGIC BUT WHICH ARE LIMITED ONLY BY YOUR MAGICKA LEVEL. NOW HEAL THE WOMAN!** "

"Okay...sheesh." Eric felt his magicka regenerate much quicker, likely because of that asshole but he wasn't going to complain. He knelt over the woman placing both hands just an inch above her wound and suddenly his fingers and hands became warm and a tingling sensation permeated throughout his body and then the glow was of gold and yellow light was transferred to the woman. All eyes on the man saw him healing the woman's fatal wound which no doubt include severe organ damage but the strangest of all was the blood.

Gasps from the men within the militia who said things like, blood mage, apostate and so on. Murdoch himself was rather uncomfortable with this debacle now. If this guy was a blood mage then they were all in trouble, however, from what he'd gathered blood mages raised undead or summoned demons yet he had not seen any or evidence of any.

The yellow glow dissipated and the woman gave a loud yelp and a sharp audible breath of breath before coughing and then looking around she was tackled to the ground by her little daughter who was more than overjoyed at having her mother back. Villagers were still wary but have started coming out of their homes or the chantry wanting to take a closer look at what happened. It was a gruesome sight, three fully armed and armoured templar knights had been brutally decapitated and the fourth was nothing more than a charred corpse.

"I-I-I don't know how to-" the woman started but the mage raised his hand and shook his head.

"Do you have anywhere to go from here? Where you'll be safe?" Eric asked her, she looked confused at first then smiled gratefully and nodded. "Good do not tell me or anyone else where you are going. Here take these."

He hands her a pouch of coin looted from the bodies of his fallen foes and she nodded her thanks very grateful for what the mage had done for her and her daughter. "Keep little Tanya here safe, okay?"

Tanya the little mageling then grabbed hold of the mage's neck in a bear like hug and he reciprocated. A small smile appearing on his lips satisfied of what he'd accomplished however small it was. When the mother and daughter had disappeared through the back alleys of the village Eric saw the militia still ready and eyeing him suspiciously, he ignored them and started dragging the unconscious form of the Knight Commander up the steps towards the windmill.

* * *

Later...

Merissa and company had finally reached Redcliffe. Its infamous blood red clay coloured the soil and the cliff. From where they stood they could see the majestic menace that is Redcliffe Castle, home to one of the most powerful and influential men in all of Ferelden, Arl Eamon, who is unfortunately I'll and has fallen into a magically induced coma. Aiden and Alistair made haste across the bridge towards the path that led to the causeway/bridge leading to castle. However, Sten and Thomas both stopped and happened to look right when they saw a man in steel chainmail armour dragging the body of a...Templar?

"Hey Sten what's the hold up?" Aiden asked when he looked back. The others all stare at the qunari and the mabari with equal curiosity. They then followed the two's gaze and saw the same man hauling the Templar near the edge of the cliff. "Uh...I don't think that guy is right in the head." Oghren stated when saw this.

"Maker!" Wynne and Leliana both gasped and immediately rushed forward towards the man and the templar.

"Hey come back!" Aiden called after them but growled and followed soon after. The rest of his companions and sister followed as well wary and with hands on their blades.

Wynne and Leliana were the first to reach speaking distance and they saw the armour of the Templar and realised it was Knight Commander Harrith, that lyrium addict that Aiden ran drugs for the Mage's Collective too not too while ago. The man seemed to be unconscious but his nose was bloody and the man standing over r him was covered in blood spatter.

"What is the meaning ofthis?!" Wynne demanded to the stranger, even if he was a foot taller than her she still managed to sound viciously scary. However, the man seemed unfazed and just stared at Aiden and his group like he was frozen. In fact, Alistair, who was both bemused and pissed, thought he saw the guy actually freeze as if stunned by something. This didn't last long as the man just sighed and spoke with a powerful and calm voice.

"Damn you Survey." The man said. Needless to say everyone in the group were confused but Wynne was getting upset.

"Young man! How dare you swear-" The stranger raised his hand which stopped the old mage mid sentence and then he turned around and looked down at his target. With a mighty left kick the Knight Commander was sent hurtling off the cliff and down to his watery rock jagged death. Wynne was shocked and couldn't find the right words. Merissa and Leliana both had hands over their mouths and gasped at such a savage display. Sten was...conflicted? Morrigan had a huge grin on her face, a malicious and gleeful grin. Aiden had the same expression as Alistair, both of them had their jaws drop to the ground (if that was physically possible!). Thomas, the mabari, growled deeply daring the man to attack his friends. Oghren just stared completely dumbfounded and didn't whether to give the man a drink or shove him off the cliff after the poor sod he'd kicked over.

Eric turned back and saw the mixed look of amusement, surprise, shock, hatred, anger, uncertainty and disgust as the members of the main cast of the Dragon Age Origins were right in front of him but he didn't recognize the brunette next to whom he can only guess as Leliana. Seeing as the near silence was becoming suffocating he simply deadpanned, "What?"

* * *

 **In a dark place somewhere...**

Survey watched as the newly installed 24in flat LED screen with surround sound and a a new state of the artguaranteed 4k High Definition screen with a runtime of 1200 ppf. He was watching his unwitting apprentice had kicked off that obnoxious Knight Commander Harrith off the cliff down to the jagged rocks below a hundred foot drop. His glowing white eyes burned brighter than the light from the screen as a vicious grin spread and contorted his face.

 **"If this works out I'll have a new General ready to lead my hordes against that asshole who calls himself the Maker. Regulations be Damned! He owes me big time and then he doesn't pay? Who the fuck does he think he is? God?"** Survey screamed as he as got heated up by his own monologue. **"Only the Administrator has that job description! But I'll show him...everybody pays their debts to me sooner or later. Whether by their own volition or by force!"**

 **Elsewhere...**

 **"Honey!"** A remarkably and stunning beauty of a woman wreathed in golden light, called out towards the back of the large kitchen like room. It was styled like a modern and typical suburban house kitchen.

 **"Yes what is it?!"** A man's voice called back from somewhere outside, the backyard most likely. His voice was strong and majestic almost sing-song like and held a godly tone to it. Then in the doorway to the kitchen from the back the man appears. **"Is it something from work...you never interrupt me during one of projects otherwise**."

 **"Yes it is."** She smiled at him and quickly planted a tender loving kiss on his lips and both smiled lovingly at each other. **"Apparently, Old Survey is up to his old tricks again."**

 **"What!** " He was genuinely shocked by this. Just what did he do to earn that old coots ire this time, Maker swore the old bugger is getting forgetful...or was he? **"What'd he do this time?"**

 **"He's gotten some poor mortal to do his bidding trying to mess up your universe... again!"** She told him almost amused at the prospect, its been the four hundredth time this day alone? She honestly find Survey to be an amazing if somewhat forgetful Organizer. She had to admit though he was perhaps the oldest among the Organizers third only to the Administrator himself! However, as of late he's become more erratic and even outright hostile with the others. Her husband is relatively new to this whole Organizing business but he's got heart and some experience...just look at her and its proof enough he can do the job.

 **"You're doing that trance thing again dear."** Maker told her with an amused look on his face as he pecked her check and made his way to his study a stark contrast to Survey's dark room. There he turned on his computer and open the new file that had popped out when he connected to the Organizer Website.

Upon reviewing what had happened so far, he sighed heavily and grumbled, **"This better not be another Golden city debacle**!"

* * *

 **So what do guys think of this little twist and slight cliff hanger or in Harrith's case, cliff falling. I know it may be a llittle weird but hey this is how I see our godly deities in their natural environment. As administrators or more specifically Organizers of their respective universes. They are allowed to mess around with each others universes but to a certain degree and the big honcho, the Administrator will have to use his BIG voice to settle disputes and set things right. Yep I think I've found my connection to my other stories, from now on any of my xovers will feature their own set of Organizers and some may even be main characters either as heroes or villains..**

 **So yeah review and comment. Oh and sorry if this is a little short but I was on a roll until I got interrupted but next time I'll try to lengthen it more.**

 **Til nex time!**


	5. Chapter 3-1

**AN: Okay so this took a while. Had writers block...literally. With no laptop and using phone to write. I ran out of data and had to wait until my next paycheck to finally get more data. Damnable internet requirements! I swear these phone and internet companies are bleeding us dry!**

 **Hah! But I digress. So here is another chapter to continue where our cliff hanger...er...was left off. Enjoy. I'll be honest, this is mostly just a filler for now.**

 **Will experiment with perspective changes...**

 **(Optional Quest available): Please do look up my other stories and give me feedback so I can improve the quality of all of them. Suggestions are welcomed.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own DA or EDS. Both games belong to their respective owners...whoever they may be. OCs and any AU content that may show up is...up for debate.**

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 **Eric (1st POV)**

So I was slightly pissed off...okay maybe I was REALLY pissed off. I didn't actually expect to be staring at the faces of the Dragon Age: Origins main cast! I mean, what are the cracking odds?! But there they were all of them staring at me like I was a madman...granted kicking off the Knight Commander (Harrith) off of the cliff may have helped in that regard.

*sigh*

"Look. I don't want any trouble with you." I held up both hands. My voice was muffled and sounded menacingly awesome through my helmet. Have I mentioned its stuffy inside this damned thing?! I swear that asshole Survey is just messing with my head. *sigh* way to state the obvious genius.

"Explain yourself!" Okay Wynne is angry and when she's angry nothing good can come out of it. Sure she may not look like much but her ability to inspire fear in most men stems from the fact that she won't take no for an answer and is a determined old lady.

Stubborn too if I remember her back story.

"Wynne calm down." Holy shit did Alistair just step up in my defense? "He'll have a better time to explain himself after he's been arrested."

I take that back! He's always been a jerk! I never liked you anyway you Princely bastard!

"What did you just call me?" Oops I said that out loud didn't I? "Hey you! I'm talking to you!"

Alistair was up in my face now but I had to adjust my face a slight 45 degree angle down as I just realized that he was a good four inches shorter. But hot damn is Leliana looking-wait a minute! I need to focus on this guy, I'll admit if a fight breaks out I might actually die!

"I suggest you keep your distance from me or else." I warned him in my most convincing growl to ward off a potentially dangerous situation. One where I'm at a serious disadvantage. If I'm looking at this right, I see four warriors, two rogues and two mages. Not forgetting the bigass mabari warhound! The damned dog is much bigger in real life...like dire wolf big! Did I seriously threaten Alistair? Okay so maybe not a good way to ward off a potentially dangerous situation.

"Alistair stand down!" The man I'm assuming is the hero of this DA verse, barked at the half-blood prince, to stand down. "Everyone let's just all calm down before we do something we'll regret."

"You're no fun." Morrigan purred into the man's ear as she wrapped her arms around-what the effing fuck?! This dude romanced the heartless witch...the cynical and pretty much independent daughter of Flemeth? Man I hope I never meet that creepy old know-it-all hag!

I see he's a bit uncomfortable with her being playfully clingy but I am not broaching that subject any time soon. Although I'm a bit surprised that her personality is a...little different from the game. She's still manipulative from I can glean off of her calculating and piercing yellow eyes, I swear if she wasn't this creepy I'd have romanced her in the game.

"This one is strange, Warden. We best be on our guard." Sten the stoic qunari giant warned as he eyed me, no doubt his many years of sizing up people have set off his internal alarms. I actually think he can give Batman a run for his money in the suspicious glaring and eye narrowing department, where they stare at you as if their glare will blow your head off.

-Woof!- The mabari was just as suspicious of me, not moving an inch but eyed me like I was his next darkspawn meal. Unlike darkspawn I know the damned dog won't hesistate to take a huge chunk of my leg as his dinner. I shuddered slightly as I remembered from the game of how his special abilities would tear down its opponents. I do not want to see that in real life...great I'm starting to actually believe that asshole-then again I nearly became wolf lunch not too long ago so I guess that counts towards this being my actual life now.

Forced to hide my magical abilities for fear of being hunted-no! I will not be hunted down like a dog! Nor will I be locked up in one of those damned Circles! I sure as hell don't want to become a Tranquil any time soon.

"Are you done monologuing?" The man, the Warden, asked with lopsided grin on his face. His eyes shimmered with mischievous glee at having learning more about me than I was letting on. Damn!

"How much did you hear?" I ask them as I took a few steps back and my hand went to my sword. Ready to fight if necessary. I will not die here! Even if I have to kill this universe's main heroes to survive...so be it. I wonder how that will mess up the canon plot?

"Relax, human." Ohgren spoke up for the first time. He sounded...drunk? Is he seriously drunk? Damn the game doesn't do this guy's drinking justice. "We're not going to fight you or nothing."

I can tell the words were forced. He's trying really hard to sound sober and so far I'm inclined to give him points for effort. He's doing a good job so far aside from his swaying posture. The others all seem to have tensed when I reached for my sword. *sigh* this is going to be one of those headaches... I just know it.

"Again...how much did you hear?" I repeated the question and gauged their expressions. Wynne and Leliana are glaring at me but not too harshly. The qunari is full on giving his version of Batman's famous 'bat glare', I think it worked coz I feel a little intimidated. Alistair just eyed me with suspicion, Ohgren burped. Comic relief no doubt. Mabari dog growled at me and I shift uneasily onto my left foot just in case it jumped I wanna be ready. The strange woman who has remained silent simply gawked at me then switched to a glare and then narrowed her eyes...sheesh lady choose an expression and stick with it.

"Hmmphh!" She must have heard that coz she looked away with her pretty nose in the air. A noble then. Figures.

"You have something against nobles?" I have got to keep my inner thoughts to myself! This has never happened before but I guess being dumped in a dangerous war torn world has made me lose my edge. The edge I'd developed while in the slammer. Damn shivs!

"No. I just made an observation and assumed." I explained, which is technically true.

"Arghh! We're getting off track here." The Grey Warden shook his head and then walked up to me slowly while extending his right hand. I hesitate for a second but I shake his hand. I just hope no one jumps me now.

"My name is Aiden Cousland. Former Teyrn of Highever." He sounded grim and the atmosphere got a little colder than a moment ago. I know the game was lacking in the emotion department for the Warden's not so fond memory of his home. So seeing his gloomy drooping eyes and the pure anger, sorrow, regret and guilt in his eyes. I feel like trying to tell him everything will work out for the better...after in the game the Warden gets his/her revenge on Howe and Loghain.

But seeing as how telling them about the future might mess up the canon...I keep my mouth shout.

"Highever? I've heard of that town. I passed it on my way here a few days ago. I arrived in Denerim sometime in the last week." Better to make up a story now than later though I'll have to be on my guard. I don't know much of the lore of DA verse coz I was too lazy to read the damned codex! "Why do you say former?"

"Our family was betrayed." The noblewoman hissed at me. Obviously she wasn't aiming that pent up anger at me but rather it was an automatic response.

"Surely then you must have talked to the king of your predicament." I offered but I already knew the answer to that. *sigh*

"We don't have time for this." Leliana whispered in Aiden's ear but I was able to pick it up.

"Listen as much as we want to stick around and interrogate you on what you were doing and why you were doing it. I'm afraid we have more pressing matters." Widen sounded almost sincere but his voice was laced with suspension as were the glares that came my way.

"I am heading to the castle." I stated simply but the surprised looks from the group, minus Morrigan and Stem and even Oghren who I think blacked out for a few seconds. The mabari growled again but I ignore it.

"Why are you going to the castle? What business have you there?" Leliana...ever the little spymaster. Its also one of the things that led me to romance her in the game. However, in my current situation I think she'll just get me killed.

"I heard of the quest to find a cure for the Arl." I explained as slowly and clearly as possible. "Unless you're here for the same reason. Oh and how much did you hear me monologue about?"

"Don't worry your secret is safe with us." Maiden said to reassure me but I suspect not one of them really trust me. Seriously, who would trust a guy who'd threw another guy off a cliff? Answer is zilch. "As for the quest...we've already completed it so that will safe you the trouble."

"You finished the quest?" I asked trying my best to sound impressed and surprised at the same time. I'm actually impressed but not entirely surprised. Although there is a possibility that things won't be as canon as I think they would be.

"We have. However, we could use more help and another sword to fight the darkspawn. If you're interested. There's coin to be had as well." Aiden told me but I knew a sales pitch when I hear one so I pretend to think about it.

"I'm not a mercenary but I am an adventurer. I seek quests to test my skills and to earn a little coin on the side." I sound awesome with the sound of my voice muffled through my helmet but its starting to get harder to breathe in this damned thing. "Unless you're offering a quest I find worthy of my time I will make do with the Chanter's board."

I try to walk away but the mabari moved in my way, stopping me. "Thomas. Bad boy...let the man pass." The mabari growled then whimpered and moved out of my way.

"I bid you good day. Grey Warden." I gave a salute and left the group standing in the shadow of the windmill.

"Hey the chanter's board is down in the village!" Auden called to me but I ignore him and make my way up to the bridge and then made a dash for the small gate entrance and the large stairs. I hastily clbed up and then ran for the next five minutes without stopping. Finally I stopped to catch my breath.

I do not want to meet them again. But if I do it'll be too soon. Great! Now where the hell am I supposed to go?! I look and with a shake of my fist in the most dramatic way I can think of I shout, "Fuck you Survey!"

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 **Okay filler is done. Yeah its a little short but isn't that what fillers are for? Anyways I may delay the next 'real' chapter until next week. I'll be updating the other two stories but they may also get delayed. I am hoping to get my hands on a computer and actually use a bloody proper keyboard! Instead of this thumb wracking torture device!**

 **Have you heard of the medieval torture device that is literally used to twist a criminal or perceived witch or prospective heathen? Well that's what my thumbs are feeling right now if you can find the necessary info on said device.**

 **Hope you enjoy this one. not. Next chapter will be real deal.**

 **Please enjoy your day and come fly with us again. *plane explodes in the background* *camera pans away from explosion***


	6. Notice

**Greetings Dear Readers,**

 **I apologize for this but I just need to Clarify that I will be putting this story on hold for now as I will focus on a single story for the foreseeable future. I will continue this story later as I will write them in their full sets and then post one by one and make changes where necessary. For further information please contact me via PM.**

 **If this message is on this fic then the above mentioned reason applies and the rest of the chapters will be developed and then posted later...like a thousand years later! hahaha. But seriously.**

 **-Danen5, Store Manager Extraordinaire.**


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